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The
NewsRoom
Release: #3150
Date: September 30, 2004
MMS AND USCG Sign Agreement
Reaffirm Commitment to Offshore Environmental Protection and Safe
Operations
Increasing interest in building liquefied natural
gas import facilities and additional security requirements created
under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, are among the
factors that prompted the Minerals Management Service and the U.S.
Coast Guard to sign a revised Memorandum of Understanding today. The
MOU details how the two agencies will work together to regulate the
oil and gas activities on the Outer Continental Shelf to keep pace
with an industry facing evolving technologies and new engineering
standards.
MMS Director Johnnie Burton and the Commandant of
the Coast Guard, Adm. Thomas Collins, signed the new MOU in a ceremony
at the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. The MOU
reaffirms a federal commitment to safe and environmentally sound
offshore operations.
“Safety for offshore workers and mariners, and
protection of the environment are top priorities for MMS,” said
Burton. “MMS has enjoyed a longstanding cooperative relationship with
the Coast Guard in the regulation of safety of offshore activities and
facilities.”
“Our regulation of the offshore industry may be less
visible, but is no less vital for the security of our nation than our
more obvious security activities,” said Collins. “While many things
have changed as a result of our increased focus on security in the
maritime environment, our partnerships with other agencies are key to
success in all our missions.”
The two agencies also signed a Memorandum of
Agreement, which is the first in a series of documents to outline
agency responsibilities on specific technical areas ranging from
deepwater ports to oil spill response. Bud Danenberger, Chief of
Offshore Engineering and Operations for MMS and the Coast Guard’s Rear
Adm. Thomas Gilmour, assistant commandant for marine safety, security
and environmental protection, signed the MOA.
“These new documents will enhance further
cooperation and consistency between the MMS and the Coast Guard,
ensuring we all work successfully toward the same goals,” added
Burton.
“For decades we’ve worked closely with the Minerals
Management Service and these documents provide a foundation for
continuing that successful partnership,” said Collins.
The MOU will help minimize duplication of effort,
and aid the MMS and the Coast Guard in the successful completion of
their assigned missions and responsibilities. Under the MOU, the two
agencies will continue to foster communication and cooperation,
optimize the use of government resources, develop common, compatible
regulations and policies, encourage adoption of similar codes and
standards and assist the offshore operators in understanding
applicable regulations.
The Minerals Management Service is the federal
agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages the
nation’s oil, natural gas, and other mineral resources on the Outer
Continental Shelf in Federal offshore waters. The agency also
collects, accounts for, and disburses mineral revenues from Federal
and American Indian lands. MMS disbursed more than $8 billion in FY
2003 and more than $135 billion since the agency was created in 1982.
Nearly $1 billion from those revenues go into the Land and Water
Conservation Fund annually for the acquisition and development of
state and Federal park and recreation lands.
Relevant Web Sites:
MMS Main Website
Media Contacts:
MMS,
Nicolette Nye
202-208-3985
US Coast Guard,
Jolie Shifflet 202-267-2304
MMS: Securing Ocean Energy & Economic Value for
America
U.S. Department of the Interior |